Marital Rape Criminalization is an Obligation

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Newly-elected Vice-Chairperson and Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Committee on The Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Marion Bethel insisting The Bahamas must meet its international obligation to criminalize marital rape.

Bethel says the issue must be on the government’s agenda before the next meeting in May as she believes criminalizing marital rape is long overdue.

While The Bahamas has committed to criminalizing marital rape, successive administrations have failed to tackle the issue.

In 1993, The Bahamas ratified the UN CEDAW.

The criminalization of marital rape is one of the commitments contained in the convention.

Bethel’s comments comes after she took up a new post during the 84th session of the UN Human Rights Committee on The Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, or CEDAW committee.

She was elected to the position of Vice-chairperson and Rapporteur on February 6th in Geneva, Switzerland.